and When I Wake
by Cherry Teh berry
Summary: Skyward Sword. "Do you even have to ask?" ZeLink.


A/N. An interpretation of the ending of Skyward Sword. No, the dialogue will not be word for word; I am taking creative liberties with this scene. I want to write an epic multi chapter skyward sword inspired fic, but the inspiration has yet to hit me. For now, this is what you get.

I only own a golden wii mote and copy of the game.

Zelda drew in a deep breath and stared in quiet awe of her surroundings. From atop the Goddess Statue, her vantage point was all of Faron Woods—in the distance she could see Lake Floria and all its glory, and the sight nearly left her breathless.

She was happy to be alive, but she was more happy to know the darkness had passed, for now. Demise's last words rang in her ears but she suppressed the memory of his vengeful promise. In her heart of hearts, she knew peace would not reign forever in this land, but for the time being all was calm and Zelda had learned during her thousand year slumber sometimes it was best to enjoy nothing but the present.

The flapping of wings caught her attention and she swung her gaze to see Groose flying by on his loftwing. Her response was a cheerful wave, a beaming smile spread on rosy lips. It felt like yesterday she knew him only as a bully—it was now she appreciated him as a comrade, and as a friend.

Once he was out of view, she returned her full attention to the hero standing at her side. Link looked completely enraptured in the landscape, mouth agape and eyes wide. She smiled at this softly, ever grateful not only that he was alive but that all he had seen—done, even—failed to steel his heart and bitter his soul. He was still Link—_her _Link—and she was confident that would never change.

"So, mister chosen hero," The goddess reincarnate teased playfully, capturing her comrade's attention. "You've slain the beast. All is well, all is safe. What do you do now?"

He smiled, and her heart skipped a beat. "Well.." He started. Looking sheepish, he shrugged his broad shoulders—were his arms always that nice?-and the look in his eyes told her he wanted her thoughts.

"Well, Mr. Indecisive," she laughed, and he laughed with her—and it felt so _damn good_ to be alive. "Look at this place!" Zelda threw her arms out wide, and he followed her gaze to the horizon. "It's everything I imagined and more. I dreamt about this place. I _daydreamed_ about this place. I knew it was here, all along!" Here, she paused, thoughtfully, and added- "I suppose I should have. Considering.. who I am." There was an awkward pause. Link's face twisted into concern, but she ignored it and pressed on.

"I think... I think I want to stay here. Skyloft... it was a refuge. But this.. we were born of this land, Link. It deserves love and care; I need to stay here. Understand what was once our world. I want... to keep the triforce safe. I was always supposed to. I think."

Her eyes slid shut. After purifying herself in sacred waters, memories of her past life had awakened deep in her unconsciousness. And though there was much she remembered—pain, blood, Demise, sending the people she so loved high above the clouds—there was much she could not recall. Some of the memories were foggy—Din, Nayru, Farore—Goddesses, not Goddess. She knew there was more to the story then she could recall.

But she didn't dare reflect on that now. When her violet eyes opened, Link's worried face dominated her vision. He was frowning, lightly—she responded with a chuckle and shook her head. These were thoughts for another time. "What.. do you plan on doing, now, Link?"

Link sighed and stepped forward, gently catching her hands in his own. "Do you even have to ask?" His words made her head spin, and the way his eyes glistened in the sunlight made her feel weak. They bore into her own, reflecting emotions she dared not name. "I..."

He shushed her with a finger to her lips. "Zelda. I almost lost you. I _did_ lose you, really. It is not something I _ever_ want to deal with again." She tried to avert her gaze but he wouldn't let her; carefully, he tipped her chin back up, gazing at her lovingly. "I just went through hell and back for you." They both chuckled at that, though Zelda's was slightly more pained and tears rushed to her eyes. "And I would do it again. Always. I never said anything about how I felt in Skyloft, Zelda, because I always thought I'd have forever to tell you. Then... then you disappear before my eyes. I know how precious time is now. I'm not going to waste another second." A bubble of nervousness exploded in Zelda's chest. "I love you. I want to stay wherever you stay. If it is here, on the surface, then it is here, on the surface. I don't care where. As long as it's with you."

The dam broke. Zelda hiccuped a sob and tore away from his tender touch, stumbling back so far Link immediately reached back out to steady her, in fear she might stumble right off the statue. "L-link. No. No! Don't say that. _I used you!_" She cried out, all the pain and guilt she harbored exploding in one burst. "I can't... I can't i-imagine putting you in danger. _But I did!_ I _chose_ your fate! I-it wasn't fair! I didn't know it, growing up, but I sealed my own fate. It was my choice." As Hylia, she had willingly sacrificed her immortality, knowing of what was to come. But Link was innocent in all this. She had ordained him the Hero, used her self as bait, and allowed him to do her bidding. She was disgusted with herself. "You were dragged into this. I am sorry, Link. I am so sorry. You could have died. It would have been my fault. And I.. I love you! You're the one person I'd _never_ want to hurt! So what did I do? Throw you in front of Demise's _blade_ for Goddess Sake!"

"Zelda, stop." The next thing she knew she was cradled against his chest, sniffling and sobbing and feeling more vulnerable then she ever had in her life. "You always were the dramatic one," He chuckled, and ran a hand absently through her hair. "You didn't _make_ me do anything, I don't care what you say. I did those things to save my best friend—the headmaster's daughter—the girl I grew up with. I did it to save _Zelda_. Not Hylia. Not anyone else. And besides... Skyloft was getting kinda old, anyway." He joked, lightly, and Zelda giggled despite herself.

There was a moment of comfortable silence where he just held her, the sun warm on their skin and the breeze pleasant on their back. The moment almost seemed to last forever until Zelda suddenly squeaked, blushed a brilliant shade of scarlet, and twisted herself in his embrace to stare him directly in the eye. "... Did you say you loved me?"

Link could have died of laughter. Instead, he gathered her up in his arms and swung her around. When he finally placed her back on her feet, he wasted no time in kissing her. She responded in kind, wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself tighter against him, while their loftwings danced in the distant sky and Skyloft floated blissfully overhead.

A/N. Okay. So I didn't really know exactly where I was going with this. But I knew I really wanted to focus on how Zelda must have felt when she realized she was Hylia. When she apologizes to Link for using him right before she crystallizes... that got to me. How hard would that be! Knowing you were the one who _decided_ the person you loved is going to risk life and limb against the _greatest evil ever?_ Anyway. I might actually continue this. I really want to try to unite Skyward Sword and the other Zelda games—OOT, specifically—can you see some of that coming out in this piece? So yeah, I might just expand on this little ditty. Besides, who doesn't like the excuse to write ZeLink fluff? (:


End file.
